Mexico weekly ledger., 1887-06-30
sEAaAN's RRTHEL.
An Interesting Lecture by Rev. Wetn,
erspeon at the presbyterian
Church,

New Orleans seamah's ffethei. deliy.
cred an interesting address 10 an APP
pfeeistive audience i'll The Isreshy
terian church in this city on Sunday
night. 1t was t,is desire TO have been
heard by the pastors and congrega-
lions of the city generally but -
previous arrangements entered into
aud announced prevented their at
tendance, the following brief syn
epsis OF what was said is given for
the information OF those that could
not hear for themselves. The Rev.
Chaplain desires us to say that the
collection taken mp was very satisfae-
tory but that If parties wish to make
further contributions they can be
sent to him by mail TO st. Louis.
The Rev. Chaplain commenced
with the remark that the sailors of
the world were abody of no less than
three million of souls and consti-
tuted a class to whom society and
the church were greatly indebted.
Many thought that the railroads of
the country were the great springs
of its enterprise and commerce; but
the was behind them, and it's
ships and the mariners that navi-
gated them contributed no little to
their business and prosperity and to
the benefits that were conferred
through their fundamentally upon
this broad and prosperous land. 1t
was the sailor that discovered and
visited unknown continents. 1t was
his ships that carried our products
abroad, and with them the Bible and
the missionaries of the cross and re-
turned laden with the bountiful and
beneficial productions of other lands
and the story of their conversions to
Christianity. People often say this is
a new subject and ask why reference
has not been previously made to this
large and useful class. Why my
friends, continued the Chaplain, the
matter of missionary work itself is
not old. 1t dates back only about
seventy-ive years, and it was only
after the missionaries came to appre-
ciate the relation which the CONVEX
sion of the sailor bore to that of the
world, that deep and Christlike inter-
est was manifested in his behalf.
When the missionaries went with the
sailors to foreign lands they discov-
cred the bad effects which their con-
| duct, their oatlis, their debaueherles
had upon the heather. They saw
that the heather regarded them
as the representatives of Christ
ian nations and that therefore they
nationally concluded they were
possessed of a higher civilization and
a more ennobling morality. 1t was
then that the missionaries, sent
abroad from England and America,
called the attention Of the societies
and churches that sustained them to
the condition of sailors and impress.
ed upon them the necessity of look.
ing after their spiritual welfare, and
the result was that some of the best
preachers in both countries devoted
their energies to the establishment OF
Bethels and the enlightment of sea.
men. 1t has been a hopeful and
blessed work. Many young men Of
good families; who ran away from
kind friends to follow the perils Of
the sea and encounter the degrading
influences of bad companionship
have been rescued and converted into
ministers. Last winter the chaplain
of a ship, visiting New Orleans, in
formed the speaker that he had &
preacher on board. He was sent fol
and came besmeared with smoke
from bis ireman's duty. The cap
tain said that he would vouehfor hin
if invited to preach, and he was found
on trial to be a forcible and convinc
ing though unlettered speaker. Th,
chaplain went on to say he hat
stated these facts to excite interes
in sailors. The interior ought t.
sympathize with them as well as tn
seaports they visited. They benefit
ed the interior as well as the coast
They brought commerce and emf
grants TO Missouri as well as Louis
: lana, and by doing SO had assiste'
Iii Developing and building up thi
\ great and prosperous State.
The institution the speaker repre-
scented was located at New Orleans
Besides the chapel there were lodg
ings, dormitories, parlors, dinin.
rooms and kitchens, kept as clean q
r those of q man of war and capable O
providing for from fifty to seventy
five Gamer at a time. After cor
sultation with pious and intelligen
mariners there were organized
/. concert hall and art gallery with pic
lures, maps, charts and library
&. There is also a large reading roor
with periodicals and papers. Th
sailors visit this at night and it
I sort of a club to them. There ar
what are called Bethel commence
ments-every Monday night, an
they are visited by ministers, lectul
/, ers and other distinguished gentle
men who make addresses. The sal
ors sometimes participate, give rec
, tatiens and sing songs that are ofte